App-cab driver assaults autistic child, arrested

Kolkata: An app-cab driver has been recently arrested for assaulting an autistic child inside the cab. Authorities of Uber, the app-based cab service, apologised for the incident and returned the fare amount. According to sources, Piyali Gupta's six-year-old son is autistic. He studies in a school at Gariahat area. Everyday his grandmother Pratima takes him to his school. On Tuesday she booked an Uber ride to reach Gariahat.

Pratima was handing over the fare to the driver, the child allegedly touched the air conditioner inside the car. The app-cab driver Chandreswar Rai allegedly threatened the child to beat him. As the child could not understand him properly, he again touched the air conditioner. This time, Rai in fit of rage twisted his arm. Seeing Rai assaulting her grandson, Pratima protested. Rai allegedly threatened her with dire consequences. He also told Pratima not to move around with an austistic child. Pratima informed Piyali who lodged a complaint with the Uber.

On Wednesday, Piyali lodged a complaint with the Gariahat police station narrating the whole incident. Upon receiving the complaint sleuths got in touch with the Uber authorities in Delhi. Following the details given by the police, Uber authorities reportedly located the cab using GPS and informed the police. Later police arrested Rai from Baranagar. He has been booked under sections 341(punishment for wrongful restraint), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the IPC.